Sure, we joke about “senior moments”… walking into a room, and forgetting why. But still, everyone wants that magic bullet to keep their brain in tip-top shape. And it looks like a vitamin B supplement just might help…
In July, a group of Oxford University researchers reported that taking daily B vitamin supplements may slow the decline in brain cells that leads to cognitive impairment.
This was a two-year study involving 266 participants with mild cognitive impairment, all age 70 or over. Half the group was randomly assigned to receive a daily B-vitamin supplement of folic acid, vitamin B-12 and vitamin B-6. The other half got a placebo.
Results showed that the B-supplement stabilized “executive function” in the brain–with significant improvements in thinking and both short- and long-term memory.
Of course, the researchers can’t say for sure yet if these results will translate into slowing or preventing dementia. But in the meantime, B-vitamins are something everyone should be taking. No need to run out and buy three individual supplements though. You can generally get adequate amounts of B-vitamins from a high-quality multivitamin. If yours doesn’t contain the full spectrum of B-vitamins, consider taking a B-100 complex formula.